Dear Editor,

During the uncertainties that plagued the entire world due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the non-profit organisation Bless Back Jamdown (BBJD) Missions was launched to be a beacon of hope to those who are in need and underserved populations on the island of Jamaica.

The organisation’s mission was birthed out of the desire that founder Sherlene Templeman had to give back to her beloved homeland. At the tender age of 15 years old, Templeman migrated to the United States, leaving her family behind in order to find a better path in life. She worked with the intention of helping those who were left back ‘a yawd’.

Over the years, as she worked her way through challenges and circumstances, she never forgot where she came from. It has been a long time coming, but today Templeman’s dream of giving back to Jamaica — as her motto is “We can’t forget the land of our birth” — is slowly coming to pass. Her vision has grown to help the less fortunate in various communities across the island. In the locations of Kingston, St Catherine, and St Thomas, she has managed to cater to those in need by providing food, clothing, and personal items.

Her personal experiences of knowing what it is like to be in need and hungry, as she was a part of the underserved community, has been one of the driving forces behind her desire to serve the Jamaican society in this way. Over the years, Templeman has managed to distribute thousands of barrels in the various locations that she serves in her home country. Through generous donations and fund-raisers, she will continue to serve the Jamaican community in love.

Templeman’s faith in Christ has also been a primary drive behind the organisation’s mission to help those in need, as she and her team seek to follow the example of Jesus’s command in caring for those in need. In the future, it is the desire of BBJD Missions to touch thousands of lives in Jamaica as they seek to expand their outreach by providing for underserved populations in all 14 parishes as time progresses.

Who would have thought that beauty could come out of ashes, that light could come out of utter gloom and darkness? Well it’s not impossible, BBJD Missions has proven so as Templeman and her team works towards their goal of helping those in need.

The driving force behind all this is the desire to make a difference and inspire change, one meal at a time.

Renee L Lambert

bbjdmissionsinc@gmail.com